Improvement in methods of and machines for reducing ores



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J. SEANOR. Method of and Machine for Reducing Ores.

.No. 213.782. Patented April 1, 1879..

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x 1 w l -2 Sheets-Sheet 2 J. SEANOR. Method of and Machine for ReducingOres.

No. 213,782. Patented April 1,1879.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN SEANOR, OF CEDAR-RAPIDS, IOWA.

IMPROVEMENT IN METHODS OF AND MACHINES FOR REDUCING ORES.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 213,782, dated April 1,1879; application filed October 25, 1878.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN SEANOR, of Cedar Rapids, in the county of Linnand State of Iowa, have invented certain Improvements in Methods of andMachines for Pulverizing Ore,

A of which the following is a specification:

The first part of my invention relates to an improved method of drypulvcrization for ores and other hard substances; and consists inefiecting the reduction by causing an attrition of the particles oneupon another under very light pressure, as contradistinguished from theordinary methods, in which the material is subjected to a grinding orcrushing action under heavy pressure.

In carrying out my method or process of reduetion any apparatus may beused which will give the particles a rolling motion and cause them togrind and wear upon each other under a light pressure, so that they willbe reducedin fineness by. such wear or attrition upon each other; but Ifind the best plan to be to employ a circular trough or troughs, withlight metal drags or runners arranged to travel therein.

I am aware that annular troughs or channels have been used incombination with heavy drags or blocks arranged to travel therein, andreduce the material by a heavy grinding or crushing action, dependencebeing placed upon the heavy weight or pressure; and I wish it to bedistinctly understood that I lay no broad claim to the combination of anannular trough and a metal runner therein, nor to the crushing andgrinding of ore under heavy pressure by such apparatus.

It is to be clearly understood that in my process the pressure of thedrags or runners is not relied upon to crush the ore, and that I employonlysuflicient pressure to cause a rolling motion of the particles.

Instead of introducing the ore, as usual, in a thick body or layerwithin the trough, I introduce it in a thin sheet or layer, so that eachparticle may bear against both the trough and the runner, andconsequently be certain to rotate and to grind against the surroundingparticles.

In practice, I find that the best results are secured by subjecting thematerial to a pressure of about one-quarter of a pound to the squareinch, and by making the shoe or runner and the trough of soft cast-iron,in order that they may take hold upon the particles with certainty andgive them the required rollin g motion.

The second part of my invention relates to a machine particularlyadapted for carrying out my process; and consists in various detailshereinafter described.

Figure 1 represents a vertical transverse section through the center ofthe machine; Fig. 2, a top-plan view of the machine with two of the lidsor covers removed; Fig. 3, a plan view, showing the channels or troughsand runners therein with the upper parts re moved; Fig. 4, a section onthe line y Fig. 1; Fig. 5, a perspective view of one of the runners ordrags, looking against the under side.

A represents a rigid frame, supporting a circular bed, 13, in whichthere are a series of concentric annular grooves or channels, a at,having fiat bottom faces.

As shown in Figs. 1, 3, and 4, the channels are connected with eachother by openings or passages 11, so that the material may pass from oneto another as it is reduced to different degrees of fineness.

As will be seen on reference to Fig. 3, the channels are arranged, inpassing from the center of the machine outward, one below another, sothat the material introduced at the center of the machine will naturallyflow through the intermediate channels in succession to the one at theoutside.

It will also be noticed that the channels increase in width as theoutside of the machine is approached, each channel being wider than theone next adjoining it on the inside.

The object of thus increasing the width of the channels is to secure asingle and even layer of the particles or grains onthe bottom of eachchannel, a given amount of material serving to cover an increased areain proportion to the fineness to which it is reduced, so that the coarseparticles which covered the bottom of a small channel will, after havingbeen reduced therein, cover the bottom of the next and larger channel.

By thus increasing the size of the channels and providing for thepassage of the material from one to auotheras its reduction progresses,I am able to work the machine to its full capacity, and to secure afull. but thin, layer of the material in each channel-a result which isquite important to the success of my improved method of reduction.

Within each channel I mount a series of lightiron runners or drags, C,of the full width of the channels. The under faces of these runners ordrags are made flat, and at the forward ends they are slightly roundedon the under side, in order that they may readily pass over and upon theparticles of ore, instead of forcing them out of the way in advance, asthey might otherwise do.

In order to give the runners the necessary height at the sides, and atthe same time secure the required lightness, they are cast hollow in thetop or back, as shown.

The runners are also made, by preference, with an oblique forward end,resembling in general appearance an ordinary plow, for the purpose ofsecuring a better and more even distribution of the material as itenters the channel, and keeping the material, to a great extent, in themiddle of the channel, so as to avoid the tendency to wear grooves orholes in the surfaces, and secure a uniform action on all the particles.

In the arrangement of the openings 1), through which the material passesfrom channel to channel, each one should be placed in rear of the oneextending to the next channel above, in order that the material may becaused to travel as far as possible before having a chance to escape.There may be as many passages from each channel to the next as desired.As a substitute for, or in addition to, the plow-shaped ends of therunners, there may be one or more small shovels or plows, D, arranged totravel in each channel, to assist in the distribution of the material,these plows being attached to the runners or to their driving devices,as desired.

Brushes of steel, wire, or other material may also be arranged in thesame manner as the plows, to assist in the distribution of the materialsin the channel, especially galena and other greasy or soapy minerals,paints, 820., and sugar.

In constructing the machine the operatingsurfaces of the channels andrunners should be made wholly or mainly of soft cast-iron, by which ismeant iron softer than that usually employed for the construction ofmachinery, and without the hard scale or surface commouly found oncast-iron.

By the employment of the soft metal the surfaces are caused to engage orbite readily upon the particles of the ore, and to impart thereto theconstant rolling motion which constitutes the basis of my process.

In order to secure a uniform wear of the surfaces, and prevent thegrooving and channeling which is liable to occur on account of theporous and honey-combed character of the cast metal, I introduce intothe surfaces of the channels and runners transverse pieces of sheetironor other thin vertical strips or pieces of hard material, 11, asrepresented in the drawings. These pieces are best secured by placingthem in the molds and running the cast metal in place upon them.

In order that the surfaces of the channels may be replaced or renewed tocompensate for wear, they may be provided with removable surface platesor sections e, as represented in the drawings. These plates will beprovided with the transverse strips of hard metal as before explained,and will be secured in any suitable manner within the channels-as, forexample, by means of cast-metal wedges 9 passed down between their ends,flush with their upper faces, and secured by keys h on the under side,as represented in Fig. 4. When reduced by wear the plates are readilyremoved and replaced by new ones, and thus the body of the bed isadapted to be used for an indefinite length of time.

As a means of driving the entire series of runners, I employa rotaryframe or spider, E, sustained by a central shaft, '5, and provided witha series of rings, j, which latter are provided with vertical holes orslots 70, to receive two studs or pins, 1, on each runner. The slots 7:,which permit the runners to rise and fall and adjust themselvesreadilyto the channels and the material beneath them, are curvedconcentrically with spider, and serve to prevent the runners from beingcarried outward by the centrifugal force so as to bind against the outersides of the channels. By thus limiting the runners so as toprevent theoutward movement, the power required to drive the machine is greatlyreduced, and the lateral wear of the channels and runners prevented.

As a means of feeding the machine, the spider or driving-frame isprovided with a central hopper, F, and a passage, m, leading downwardand outward through one side, so as to deliver into the innermostchannel.

The driving-frame or spider may receive motion in any suitable manner;but ordinarily it will be provided on the top with a geared ring, a, anddriven by means of a pinion, o, sustained by bearings on the frame, andengaging in the ring, as shown.

In order to confine the dust within the machine, a rim or casing,p, issecured around the bed, and provided with a top or cover, consisting ofremovable panels q, mounted in sustaining-arms s, as shown in Figs. 1and 2.

Having described my invention, what I claim is- 1. The herein-describedmethod for the dry pulverization of ores, consisting in causing aconstant rolling motion of the particles in a thin layer subject to avery light pressure, substantially as set forth, whereby the particlesare reduced by attrition upon each other, instead of being crushed andground by heavy pressure, as usual.

2. The herein-described method of treating dry ores, consisting inpassing the same between two flat horizontal surfaces of soft metal, oneof which moves upon the other, subject to a pressure of aboutone-quarter of a pound to the square inch.

3. In a machine for pulverizing ores, the combination of a series ofannular channels and corresponding runners, both having flat faces, thechannels being arranged one below another, and of increasing size fromthe hi ghest to the lowest.

4. In a machine for pulverizing ores, two annular channels having flatsoft cast-iron faces, one channel being arranged below and made ofgreater capacity than the other, in combinationwith flat-faced runnersmounted in said channels, as shown.

5. In combination with an annular channel, and an elongated runnermounted therein and provided with one or more upright studs or pins, therotary frame or spider, provided with slots concentric therewith,holding the w W a.

bination of an annular channel or groove with a metal runner having anopening or recess in its back, as shown, whereby the necessary heightand lightness of weight are secured.

JOHN SEANOR.

Witnesses THos. J. DUDLEY, U. 0. BLAKE.

